Huckabee supporter has a question.

Jan 29, 2008

Ok, I admit I am a bit of a hypocrite coming on here. I'm a pro life, anti gay marriage, supporter of abstinence only sex education programs churchoing republican. You get the picture.

However my deficiencies got the better of me and I succumbed to weakness. I have had personal marital problems which have meant I have not had certain relationships for a number of years. However I would never dream of getting a divorce for obvious reasons.

Anyway, to cut a long story short I went to what others on here might call an Asian Massage Parlour. I received a massage and then the lady relieved me by hand. We did not have oral or vaginal intercourse.

If this was all of the story then I could safely say I am not at risk as I have found sufficient answers in the archives. However there are a number of differences here. First, I am almost certain that the towels were not changed or are not changed between clients. Hence there is the possibility that I may have come into contact with someone else's body fluids which remained on the towels on the bed.
Also the lady did not was her hands afterwards, suggesting I may be at risk as she would not have washed her hands after her previous client.

Now most worrying to me is three and a half weeks later I began feeling very dizzy and weak at night. For the next three days I would wake up feeling fine, but then at night I would once again feel terrible. After three days of this I got a sore throat and felt very dizzy during the day. I went to my doctor who diagnozed me with bacterial tonsillitis. I asked him how he knew it was bacterial not viral (HIV obviously being Viral) and he said he was experienced and knew the difference. But I have heard it is sometimes impossible to tell. He also said to come back if it persisted because I might have glandular fever (which is viral is it not?). Anyway I had a sore throat and felt extremely dizzy and had a fever. To make matters worse I had two eczema local rashes. A small blotch on my chest and one on my arm. I note this is different to the classical rash I have viewed on the internet.

What is comforting to me is that the dizziness went away a day after I started taking the anti biotics. I was on them for a week and the sore throat went away. When I went off them it came back. So then when my doctor put me back on anti biotics it went away. This suggests it may have been bacterial, and not viral or HIV.

At the end of the day I am terrified. I can't talk to anyone about this because if it ever gets out my profession and community reputation is ruined. I will never be able to look my children in the face again as they will see me for the hypocrite I am.

I beg you Dr Bob. I truly admire the work you are doing. And despite our differences, the one thing we can agree on is that HIV has to be stopped and those that have HIV need our help, our love and our prayers.

Please reassure me I am not at risk. Your answer really will make a difference to me.

Response from Dr. Frascino

Hello,

You're a pro-life, anti-gay marriage, supporter of abstinence-only sex education programs, churchgoing Republican who has "succumbed to weakness" due to "personal marital problems" who however would never dream of getting a divorce for 'obvious reasons'." Hmm . . . another one??? Gosh, you're the 10th one this week!! So you admit you are "a bit of a hypocrite"????? Hmm . . . what do you mean "a bit"???? So you need advice and help from a pro-choice, pro-marriage equality, pro-science-based sex education Democrat, who is in a highly successful and sexually fulfilling 14-year relationship with the most marvelous man in the universe (Dr. Steve, the expert in The Body's Tratamientos forum) . . . . OK, but I wonder if it were I who was asking you for help, would you provide it or merely advise me I'm headed straight to hell for my evil ways?

Your HIV risk from the towels and/or possibly unwashed hands is essentially nonexistent. (By the way, you could have learned this in a science-based sex education class!)

Your symptoms are not worrisome for or suggestive of HIV ARS (acute retroviral syndrome). (You could have learned that in a science-based sex education class as well.) However, I should point out I agree with you about the sore throat issue. The doctor should have taken a culture, not just assumed it was bacterial, no matter how experienced he thinks he is!

So at this point you're terrified and can't talk to anyone about this, because if it ever gets out, your professional and community reputation would be ruined!?! Hmm . . . gosh, what a comforting, supportive and loving environment you have chosen to live in. You also worry you'll never be able to look your children in the face again, as they will see you for the hypocrite you are!?! Hmm . . . whether they recognize it or not, you're still the same hypocrite.

To sum up, your HIV risk is nonexistent. Your symptoms are not suggestive of HIV. There is no need for HIV testing or for being terrified of an illness you could not possibly have. Yes, I agree we certainly have our differences. Yes, I agree HIV needs to be stopped and those that have HIV need our help. And yes, I agree you are indeed a hypocrite. I wish you enlightenment. By the way, your man Huckabee wanted to round up all of us with HIV for isolation and quarantine as late as 1992! Yeah, he'd be one fine president.

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